BP Chats

Last night in Scranton, Gardner scored from 2nd on a ground out. Just got a great jump and kept running. When's the last time the Yankees had someone with speed like that? Rickey? (not that i'm expecting Rickey here, more like Brett Butler-lite)(cult of basebaal from LAA of Pasadena)

The fastest player I ever saw in a Yankees uniform was Deion Sanders. I saw Gardner at Trenton several times and he didn't strike me as being that fast, though I did see him run down several balls crossing from right center to left center when the Thunder had a shift on a lefty hitter and the guy went the other way. Your overall point, though, that having that speed around would have some utility to the Yankees, either off the bench or in the lineup (Homer Bush style in the former case). I invoked the different vibe Ellsbury gives the Red Sox in the Sun article. I don't think Gardner is a potential Ellsbury, but some of the same idea applies. (Steven Goldman)